Video games trivia | 100 did you know facts (part 3)

Video games have a rapid fan base. With millions of people around the world taking part in tournaments and playing their favorite games.

So let’s dive into some trivia and facts about video games.

The term “platform” refers to the specific combination of electronic components or computer hardware which, in conjunction with software, allows a video game to operate
The term “system” is also commonly used
The distinctions below are not always clear and there may be games that bridge one or more platforms
In addition to laptop/desktop computers and mobile devices, there are other devices which have the ability to play games but are not primarily video game machines, such as PDAs and graphing calculators
In common use a “PC game” refers to a form of media that involves a player interacting with a personal computer connected to a video monitor
Personal computers are not dedicated game platforms, so there may be differences running the same game on different hardware
Also, the openness allows some features to developers like reduced software cost, increased flexibility, increased innovation, emulation, creation of modifications (“mods”), open hosting for online gaming (in which a person plays a video game with people who are in a different household) and others
A gaming computer is a PC or laptop intended specifically for gaming
A “console game” is played on a specialized electronic device (“home video game console”) that connects to a common television set or composite video monitor, unlike PCs, which can run all sorts of computer programs, a console is a dedicated video game platform manufactured by a specific company
Usually consoles only run games developed for it, or games from other platform made by the same company, but never games developed by its direct competitor, even if the same game is available on different platforms
It often comes with a specific game controller
Major console platforms include Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo
A “handheld” gaming device is a small, self-contained electronic device that is portable and can be held in a user’s hands
It features the console, a small screen, speakers and buttons, joystick or other game controllers in a single unit
Like consoles, handhelds are dedicated platforms, and share almost the same characteristics
Handheld hardware usually is less powerful than PC or console hardware
Some handheld games from the late 1970s and early 1980s could only play one game
In the 1990s and 2000s, a number of handheld games used cartridges, which enabled them to be used to play many different games
“Arcade game” generally refers to a game played on an even more specialized type of electronic device that is typically designed to play only one game and is encased in a special, large coin-operated cabinet which has one built-in console, controllers (joystick, buttons, etc.), a CRT screen, and audio amplifier and speakers
Arcade games often have brightly painted logos and images relating to the theme of the game
While most arcade games are housed in a vertical cabinet, which the user typically stands in front of to play, some arcade games use a tabletop approach, in which the display screen is housed in a table-style cabinet with a see-through table top
With table-top games, the users typically sit to play
In the 1990s and 2000s, some arcade games offered players a choice of multiple games. In the 1980s, video arcades were businesses in which game players could use a number of arcade video games
In the 2010s, there are far fewer video arcades, but some movie theaters and family entertainment centers still have them
The web browser has also established itself as platform in its own right in the 2000s, while providing a cross-platform environment for video games designed to be played on a wide spectrum of platforms
In turn, this has generated new terms to qualify classes of web browser-based games
These games may be identified based on the website that they appear, such as with “Miniclip” games
Others are named based on the programming platform used to develop them, such as Java and Flash games
With the advent of standard operating systems for mobile devices such as iOS and Android and devices with greater hardware performance, mobile gaming has become a significant platform
These games may utilize unique features of mobile devices that are not necessary present on other platforms, such as global positing information and camera devices to support augmented reality gameplay
Mobile games also led into the development of microtransactions as a valid revenue model for casual games
Virtual reality (VR) games generally require players to use a special head-mounted unit that provides stereoscopic screens and motion tracking to immerse a player within virtual environment that responds to their head movements
Some VR systems include control units for the player’s hands as to provide a direct way to interact with the virtual world
VR systems generally require a separate computer, console, or other processing device that couples with the head-mounted unit
A new platform of video games emerged in late 2017 in which users could take ownership of game assets (digital assets) using Blockchain technologies
An example of this is Cryptokitties
A video game, like most other forms of media, may be categorized into genres
Video game genres are used to categorize video games based on their gameplay interaction rather than visual or narrative differences
A video game genre is defined by a set of gameplay challenges and are classified independent of their setting or game-world content, unlike other works of fiction such as films or books
For example, a shooter game is still a shooter game, regardless of whether it takes place in a fantasy world or in outer space
Because genres are dependent on content for definition, genres have changed and evolved as newer styles of video games have come into existence
Ever advancing technology and production values related to video game development have fostered more lifelike and complex games which have in turn introduced or enhanced genre possibilities (e.g., virtual pets), pushed the boundaries of existing video gaming or in some cases add new possibilities in play (such as that seen with games specifically designed for devices like Sony’s EyeToy)
Some genres represent combinations of others, such as multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG)
It is also common to see higher level genre terms that are collective in nature across all other genres such as with action, music/rhythm or horror-themed video games
Casual games derive their name from their ease of accessibility, simple to understand gameplay and quick to grasp rule sets
Additionally, casual games frequently support the ability to jump in and out of play on demand
Casual games as a format existed long before the term was coined and include video games such as Solitaire or Minesweeper which can commonly be found pre-installed with many versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system
Examples of genres within this category are match three, hidden object, time management, puzzle or many of the tower defense style games
Casual games are generally available through app stores and online retailers such as PopCap and GameHouse or provided for free play through web portals such as Newgrounds
Ψasual games are most commonly played on personal computers, phones or tablets
Τhey can also be found on many of the on-line console system download services (e.g., the PlayStation Network, WiiWare or Xbox Live)
Serious games are games that are designed primarily to convey information or a learning experience to the player
Some serious games may even fail to qualify as a video game in the traditional sense of the term
Educational software does not typically fall under this category (e.g., touch typing tutors, language learning programs, etc.) and the primary distinction would appear to be based on the game’s primary goal as well as target age demographics
As with the other categories, this description is more of a guideline than a rule
Serious games are games generally made for reasons beyond simple entertainment and as with the core and casual games may include works from any given genre
Αlthough some such as exercise games, educational games, or propaganda games may have a higher representation in this group due to their subject matter
These games are typically designed to be played by professionals as part of a specific job or for skill set improvement
They can also be created to convey social-political awareness on a specific subject
One of the longest-running serious games franchises is Microsoft Flight Simulator, first published in 1982 under that name
The United States military uses virtual reality-based simulations, such as VBS1 for training exercises, as do a growing number of first responder roles (e.g., police, firefighters, EMTs)
One example of a non-game environment utilized as a platform for serious game development would be the virtual world of Second Life, which is currently used by several United States governmental departments (e.g., NOAA, NASA, JPL), Universities (e.g., Ohio University, MIT) for educational and remote learning programs and businesses (e.g., IBM, Cisco Systems) for meetings and training
Tactical media in video games plays a crucial role in making a statement or conveying a message on important relevant issues
This form of media allows for a broader audience to be able to receive and gain access to certain information that otherwise may not have reached such people
An example of tactical media in video games would be newsgames
These are short games related to contemporary events designed to illustrate a point
For example, Take Action Games is a game studio collective that was co-founded by Susana Ruiz and has made successful serious games
Some of these games include Darfur is Dying, Finding Zoe, and In The Balance
All of these games bring awareness to important issues and events
On 23 September 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama launched a campaign called “Educate to Innovate” aimed at improving the technological, mathematical, scientific and engineering abilities of American students
This campaign states that it plans to harness the power of interactive games to help achieve the goal of students excelling in these departments
This campaign has stemmed into many new opportunities for the video game realm and has contributed to many new competitions
Some of these competitions include the Stem National Video Game Competition and the Imagine Cup
Both of these bring a focus to relevant and important current issues through gaming. www.NobelPrize.org entices the user to learn about information pertaining to the Nobel prize achievements while engaging in a fun video game
There are many different types and styles of educational games, including counting to spelling to games for kids, to games for adults
Some other games do not have any particular targeted audience in mind and intended to simply educate or inform whoever views or plays the game
Video game can use several types of input devices to translate human actions to a game
Τhe most common game controllers are keyboard and mouse for “PC games
Consoles usually come with specific gamepads
Handheld consoles have built in buttons. Other game controllers are commonly used for specific games like racing wheels, light guns or dance pads
Digital cameras can also be used as game controllers capturing movements of the body of the player
As technology continues to advance, more can be added onto the controller to give the player a more immersive experience when playing different games
There are some controllers that have presets so that the buttons are mapped a certain way to make playing certain games easier
Along with the presets, a player can sometimes custom map the buttons to better accommodate their play style
On keyboard and mouse, different actions in the game are already preset to keys on the keyboard
Most games allow the player to change that so that the actions are mapped to different keys that are more to their liking
The companies that design the controllers are trying to make the controller visually appealing and also feel comfortable in the hands of the consumer
An example of a technology that was incorporated into the controller was the touchscreen
It allows the player to be able to interact with the game differently than before
The person could move around in menus easier and they are also able to interact with different objects in the game
They can pick up some objects, equip others, or even just move the objects out of the player’s path
Another example is motion sensor where a person’s movement is able to be captured and put into a game
Some motion sensor games are based on where the controller is
The reason for that is because there is a signal that is sent from the controller to the console or computer so that the actions being done can create certain movements in the game
Other type of motion sensor games are webcam style where the player moves around in front of it, and the actions are repeated by a game character
Video game development and authorship, much like any other form of entertainment, is frequently a cross-disciplinary field
Video game developers, as employees within this industry are commonly referred, primarily include programmers and graphic designers
Over the years this has expanded to include almost every type of skill that one might see prevalent in the creation of any movie or television program, including sound designers, musicians, and other technicians
As well as skills that are specific to video games, such as the game designer
All of these are managed by producers